Liquid indicator



July 7, 1936.

W. J. WIXSON LIQUID INDICATOR Filed March 50, 1935 5r an HTTOENEK Patented July 7, 1936 ATE OFHE

2 Claims.

This invention relates to liquid indicators adapted to indicate the contents of a vessel used for liquids of difierent specific gravities.

()ne of the objects of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive indicating device comprising a float chamber having a window through which indicating elements are clearly exposed to indicate the contents of the chamber. A further object is to produce a device of this kind in the form of an attachment that can be readily applied to a vessel used for the different liquids.

More specifically stated, an object is to provide a liquid indicator adapted to be applied to the 5 discharge device. of a tank truck used for gasoline and heavier liquids, so as to clearly show whether the liquid to be discharged is gasoline or one of the heavier liquids.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

the invention comprises the novel construction,

combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and shown in the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one form of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

To illustrate one form of the invention, I have shown a float chamber having a window, and a 3 float provided with different indicating elements to be exposed at said window for the purpose of showing whether the liquid is gasoline, or a heavier liquid such as kerosene, the object being to avoid the mistake of delivering gasoline in re- 35 sponse to an order for kerosene, which in actual practice has resulted in fires and explosions due to the use of gasoline which was regarded as kerosene. The indicating device can be conveniently exposed near the discharge valve of the 40 vessel containing the liquid, so as to clearly advise the operator of the nature of the liquid when he is about to operate the discharge valve.

In the preferred form of the invention, the float is heavy enough to sink to the bottom of rela- 45 tively light liquids, but buoyant enough to rise to The light liquid may be gasoline or other explosive, highly inflammable fluid; and the heavy liquid may be kerosene or other fluid that does not require the unusual precautions involved'in handling the light liquid. However, 'it is to be 5 understood that the invention may be employed to indicate various liquids having different specific gravities, and that it is not limited to the indication of gasoline and kerosene.

Fig. 1 is a top view showing a portion of a con- 10 tainer provided with a discharge device equipped with an indicator embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 in Fig. 1, drawn to a larger scale, showing the indicating 15 device.

Fig. 3 is a section taken approximately on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, a portion of the float chamber being in elevation to show the window through which the indicating elements are exposed. 2O

4 designates a tank adapted to contain gasoline or kerosene, or other liquids having different specific gravities. The discharge pipe 5, leading from the bottom of this tank, is provided with a discharge valve 6, and a T-fitting 1 interposed between said valve and tank to receive the indicating device.

This indicating device comprises a vertically disposed cylindrical float chamber 8 having a threaded tubular extension 9 at one side, screwed into the T-fitting 1, to establish communication between the float chamber and the discharge pipe 5. The float I6 is exposed through a glass window 1 I at the front of the float chamber, said window being near the middle of the float chamher, so as to expose the upper portion of the float when the latter rests upon the bottom of. said chamber, as suggested in Fig. 3. This location of the window also provides for exposure of the lower portion of the float when said float engages the top wall of the float chamber. The top and bottom walls of the float chamber provide abutments which limit the vertical movements of the float, and thereby determine the positions of the indicating elements with relation to the window H.

When the device is in service, the float is submerged in the liquid, and it has only two positions, either in contact with the top wall or the bottom wall of the float chamber, depending upon the specific gravity of theliquid in the float chamher.

The upper portion of the float may be colored to indicate gasoline, or other light liquid, and the lower portion may be colored to indicate kero- 20' discharge. conductor of a vesselusedifor liquids havingcdifierent speciflc gravities, andfthat it can be:employedi asza saiety-device to, very clearly window.

sene, or other relatively heavy liquid. When one indicatingelement is exposed at the window II, the other indicating element is concealed by portions of the float chamber above or below the To prevent trapping of air in the upper portion of the float chamber and also to insure complete drainage ofv said chamber, a vertical port I3 is formed in the side of this chamber which adjoins the threaded extensionli, and this port l 3 extends from the topto the bottom of the float chamber, so as to permit free escape of air from said. chamber as the liquid enters therein. Therefore, when i liquid is introduced into an empty tank, it will completely fill the float chamber, and this-Econdition also provides for complete drainage of, the float chamber when all of the liquid is discharged 'from'the system.

It will now be understood that the simple indicating device can be very readily applied to the indicate-the presencepf-aminflannnable; or explosive, fluid; j

I claim: 1. In'an indicating attachment forrliqruid containers',= a float chamber 'having-a'threaded portion to secure it totthe container, a window at one .side ofsaid floatchamber, afloat arranged -lwithin-said floatchamber and providediwith an upper designation for relatively light liquids and .a lower designation for heavier liquids, said float chamber being provided with upper and lower abutments to limit the vertical motion of the float, and said float being confined between said abutments, said window being in a horizontal plane between said abutments, said upper designation being exposed at said window when the float engages said lower abutment, and the lower designation being exposed at' the window when the float engages said upper abutment. V

' 2. In an indicating attachment for liquid C011!- tainers, a float chamber having'a vertically elon- V thelowergdesignation being exposed at the window when-the float engages said upper abutment.

WILLIAMVJ. WIXSQN.

motionpf the.float, and said float being confined Vbetween'saidabutments, said window being 'in a horizontal "plane between said abutments, said upper designation. being exposed at said-window when thez-fioat engages said lower abutment; and 

